Due to time restraints, I will not be writing a lengthly review of each song. You can, however, fully expect every one of these songs to be included in my Top 1000 favorite songs of all time countdown, which is scheduled to be released at some point in 2014.
*Disclaimer* This countdown will include only songs that have been included on the albums Hot Fuss, Sam's Town, Sawdust, Day & Age, Battle Born, and Direct Hits. It will not include Brandon Flowers' solo work, or the annual Killers Christmas songs, all of which are countdown worthy.
40. Bling (Confessions of a King) - Sam's Town
A story of how Brandon's father went cold turkey on Alcoholism and Catholicism and turned to Mormonism.
39. This is Your Life - Day & Age
Candy, who formally went by the name of Jackie, has dabbled with too much drugs and/or prostitution, and suddenly realizes that she isn't living quite the life she had always imagined.
38. Smile Like You Mean It - Hot Fuss
Attempting to come to terms with becoming old.
37. Leave the Bourbon on the Shelf- Sawdust
The song is part of the murder trilogy along with "Midnight Show" and "Jenny Was a Friend of Mine" about the murder of a girl names Jennifer. During "Leave the Bourbon on the Shelf" Jenny and her "friend" get into a big fight and break up. He allegedly offs her during "Midnight Show" and denies it during "Jenny Was a Friend of Mine." Legendary.
36. Uncle Johnny - Sam's Town
About Brandon Flowers uncle, appropriately named Johnny. He was addicted to cocaine, and thought aliens were going to come down and steal his semen. To avoid this, he attempted to shoot himself in the testicles in the bathtub, but fortunately missed, and he shot himself right in the groin. He is much better now.
35. On Top - Hot Fuss
It's Imagine Dragon's "On Top of the World" older brother.
34. Under the Gun - Sawdust
The refrain of the song is this.... "kill me now, kill me now, kill me now, kill me now..... kill me now, kill me now, kill me now, kill me now."
But, somehow, I can not help but have a smile on my face every single time I hear it. It is such a happy little ditty.
33. I Can't Stay - Day & Age
More than likely, this is about being on the road, and the joy Flowers experiences when he returns to his home. "There is a majesty at my doorstep. There's a little boy in her arms."
32. Here With Me - Battle Born
About wanting someone back in your life. The video is fantastically bizarre.
31. Show You How - Sawdust
I don't care what the song is about because I'm obsessed with the fact that it starts with a message Brandon left on his bandmates voicemail (when he had the idea for the song.) That is how they shared ideas with each other when they were not physically together. Pretty rad.
30. The Ballad of Michael Valentine - Sawdust
My favorite song on Sawdust.
Valentine was a professional poker player based in Vegas and formally in a band with Killer's drummer Ronnie Vannucci. Vannuccci then found success with The Killers and Valentine may have been a bit bitter. Regardless, Flowers found something interesting about Valentine to write this killer (pun intended) song.
29. Heart of a Girl - Battle Born
The story of Brandon and his wife, and about how she has stuck behind him during all the craziness of being a rock star.
28. Carry Me Home - Battle Born
An extra track about loving someone, but not being totally in love. But if you would like to think that it is about getting really drunk and needing someone to carry you home, that will work too.
27. Miss Atomic Bomb - Battle Born
Is there any way that a Mr. Brightside sequel could be anything but awesome?
"Miss Atomic Bomb goes back to the same cheating woman presented in their previous hit “Mr. Brightside”. Brandon Flowers looks back at the memory of when they met. The song goes from a nostalgic perspective to the current moment, after breaking up with her, and shows the consequences, comparing them to an atomic blast.
In the 1950s, nuclear tests were being done in Nevada’s desert, and there was a place for the crowd to watch, through sunglasses. They organized a beauty pageant named “Miss Atomic Bomb”, and they took a picture that ended up in Brandon Flower’s hands. He liked the power of the name and inspired him to revisit the woman from “Mr. Brihgtside” and the effect she had on him."
26. Losing Touch - Day & Age
There are many people I know that are totally out of touch with reality. This song is for them. You know who you are, you crazy loons.
25. Andy, You're a Star - Hot Fuss
About a guy Brandon went to high school with; the star athlete. Apparently Andy was mean to Brandon, and this is Brandon's sarcastic response to Andy being a grade "A" dick.
24. From Here on Out - Battle Born
From Mr. Flowers himself regarding "From Here on Out."
"Country is at it's best when there's a struggle, a couple of broken hearts, or a lot of pain... country is at it's best when there's a fly in the ointment, a serpent in the garden or a little piece of glass hidden in the grass [Morrissey reference]. Country is at it's best when somebody has done somebody wrong, and somebody did me wrong, and that's what inspired this next song."
It's about a betrayal, the first verse is about the betrayal itself, the chorus is about the affect it had on him - making him more pessimistic, less trustworthy, shifting his paradigm of life. The latter verses are about looking back on it, "should our paths ever decide to cross, you may wonder what the trouble cost", and eventually letting go of it "Hallelujah, the troubles gone, no sense in holding grudges..."
23. My List - Sam's Town
I do not know or care what this song is about. I love lists. And Brandon Flowers.
Fine. It's about Brandon's wife. "You should have known by now, you were on my list." Congrats Brandon. Cross that one off your list.
22. Jenny Was a Friend of Mine - Hot Fuss
A boy was accused of killing his ex girlfriend, Jenny. He denied it saying "there ain't no motive for this crime, cuz' Jenny was a friend of mine."
As mentioned earlier, this is part of the murder trilogy. We never find out if the narrator of the song was found guilty of the crime, but I feel strongly that he didn't do it. They were friends! It says so right in the title.
21. Sam's Town - Sam's Town
Sam's Town is a casino in Henderson/Vegas where Flowers is from and loves with all his heart.
He mentions in the song his grandma Dixie's wake, which was Brandon's first real experience with death. This was my ring tone for a few years. I am not too sure why, but I loved it.
20. Bones - Sam's Town
"A sweet and twisted romance." - B. Flowers
AMAZING VIDEO
19. Just Another Girl - Direct Hits
About a guy that has a very difficult time dealing with a break up and doesn't want to listen to anybody else about how there are plenty of fish in the sea.
"All of my friends say, I should move on. She's just another girl." .......
"Well maybe all of my friends should confront, the fact that I don't want...... another girl."
One of the two new tracks on last year's Direct Hits, "Just Another Girl" is a welcomed addition to The Killers' catalogue.
The video includes scenes and props from every video the band has released. It is like a ten year anniversary celebration.
18. Change Your Mind - Hot Fuss
I change my mind more than anybody I know. I am pretty sure I am the most indecisive human being alive.
17. This River is Wild - Sam's Town
Flowers was born in Vegas, moved to Utah around 8 or so, and then had the itch to move back to Vegas. This presumably is about the excitement surrounding the idea of leaving Utah to return to Vegas.
16. Prize Fighter - Battle Born
An extra track on Battle Born, and quite possibly my favorite "deluxe edition only" track of all time. It is an absolute shame that cheap bastards that wouldn't spring for the deluxe edition did not get to enjoy this gem.
15. Neon Tiger - Day & Age
Rumor has it that this song is about the "myth of Vegas." I have no idea what that means, and I could not care any less. It could literally be about a fictional neon tiger and I would still get pumped up every time I heard it.
14. Somebody Told Me - Hot Fuss
The song that started it all. I have a love/hate relationship with the song. I obviously love it, because I love everything by The Killers, but I dislike the fact that it is one of their most well known songs. To me, it is just vastly different from most of their other work. With that being said. It is certainly one of the biggest songs of the decade, and deservingly so.
13. The Way It Was - Battle Born
"If I go on, with you by my side, can it be the way it was when we met. Did you forget all about those golden nights?"
Interpretation: I will get back together with you, but only if you are cool again. You totally turned into a bitch and that is why I broke up with you.
12. Shot at the Night - Direct Hits
NCAA basketball fans (men's basketball, obviously) will recognize this song as the theme to this past years tournament. You know, because the word "shot" is in the title of the song.
If this video doesn't make you want to book a flight to Vegas and almost run somebody over in your car while driving down the strip, I don't know what will.
11. Human - Day & Age
This is why Brandon Flowers is my favorite person of all time.
In an interview with Rolling Stone, Flowers said that he was irritated over the confusion about the lyrics and also that fans were unhappy with the song's dance beat: "It's supposed to be a dance song, [the beat] goes with the chorus...If you can't put that together, you're an idiot. I just don't get why there's a confusion about it."
10. Battle Born - Battle Born
Ho.Ly. Shit. This song is EPIC. Purely epic. It was the last track on their last album. Hardly anybody knows it, and that makes me very, very sad.
9. Spaceman - Day & Age
This song all but convinced me to include "get abducted by aliens" at the top of my bucket list.
Maybe someday (fingers crossed.)
8. When You Were Young - Sam's Town
"The song is about the idea that saviours can come in different forms."
Any song in which my favorite mortal person of all time gives a shot out to my favorite immortal person of all time (Jesus) is an instant classic in my book.
7. Runaways - Battle Born
I may throw my shoulder out of my socket fist pumping to this song, but it will be totally worth it.
6. Read My Mind - Sam's Town
Brandon Flowers considers it the greatest song they have ever written. And considers the album the greatest album in there past twenty years. I agree with everything he says.
5. Why Do I Keep Counting? - Sam's Town
Flowers is TERRIFIED of flying. This is his acceptance of that fear.
If you have a fear of flying, or if you do not have a fear of flying, or if you have never flown before, listen to this song and prepared to have your mind blown.
4. For Reasons Unknown - Sam's Town
There is no reason known to man that you can possibly give me for not thinking this is one of the greatest songs of all time. In fact, if you can seriously tell me you think this song is not amazing, I will punch you in the face, for reason's made abundantly clear; you're an idiot.
3. A Dustland Fairytale - Day & Age
This is my favorite late night musical performance of all time.
I have the lyrics tattooed to my body. Need I say more?
1. Mr. Brightside - Hot Fuss
I do not take pride in the fact that their biggest hit is my favorite song of theirs, but I could listen to this song on repeat for the rest of my life and die a happy man. Not that I want to die any time soon, but if I did, I would look on the bright side and be happy that I could die while enjoying my favorite song of all time.
